When I turned 18, I truly believed I had reached the definition of adult life even though I’d only just finished my A-levels and didn’t even have a job. A year on from actually becoming a grown up, there’s a few things I’ve learned.

Life waits for no one. I really thought that my first few years as an adult would be awe-inspiring and I would be able to experience things for the first time all the time. First experiences really are first experiences, they don’t pause and once it’s gone it’s gone. The harsh reality is difficult to swallow at first but now I’m used to it, I appreciate the special moments so much more. Responsibilities are real. I never grew up in a really luxurious lifestyle, but never had huge stressful responsibilities in my younger years. Now that I’m older, working full-time and trying to launch my own blogging career, I’ve noticed that responsibility seems to follow me everywhere. This definitely means I’ll never stop growing up.

Sleep is good. We all go through an age where staying up past 12 a.m. is the greatest achievement of the year. I’m not even in my twenties yet but I get super excited when I think about my bed. It genuinely makes me happy when I’m at work and start thinking about the fact that in a certain amount of hours I’ll be able to sleep. Going to bed at 10 p.m. is sometimes too late for me. Adventure isn’t delusion. There are thousands of social media accounts and blogs dedicated to igniting the wanderlust each human carries. Having a sense of imagination and dreaming for something bigger doesn’t mean you’re crazy, and this is something I’ve had instilled in me for a while. When I first started working my 9 to 5 job, all sense of inspiration and creativity went out of the window. It was one of those “well, I guess this is my life then” moments. However, you don’t have to grow up all the way, having a wild side or a huge imagination is a good thing.

I need to admit when I’m wrong. Because I’m definitely not always right. If you’re a little crazy like me, growing up means reality, and reality hits like a bus. Sometimes it’s okay to admit your defeat, accept the consequences and learn that everything will eventually be fine.